BEVERLY HILLS, September 17, (THEWILL) – Eighteen Nigerians have been confirmed to have died in Saudi Arabia during the just concluded 2016 Hajj.
According to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), the victims were from Kwara, Kogi, Bauchi, Taraba, Niger, Kaduna, Abuja with some foreign-based Nigerian pilgrims as well.
Ibrahim Kana, Head, NAHCON’s medical team, revealed that two pilgrims, including a 40-year-old woman, died in Madinah, three died in Muna, while 13 died in Makkah, including a mentally ill woman.
Kana however disclosed that the 2016 death toll was the lowest in five years, alluding the low figure as a fall out of enhanced sanitation, increased medical awareness and compressed national medical team.
He revealed that the medical team attended to over 21,000 patients since the commencement of the hajj rites and detected five pregnant women.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Consulate-General in Jeddah, Muhammad Yunusa, has revealed that Nigeria will protest the seizure of electronic wristbands seized from Nigerian pilgrims by Saudi authorities.
He fumed that the action of the Saudi authorities ran counter to the understanding reached by the two governments before the introduction of the wristbands saying the embassy had in February informed the Saudi government of Nigeria’s plan to introduce the wristbands and this was followed up in July.
“This action is unfriendly, undiplomatic and we are going to protest against it,” he said.
The wristbands were introduced by NAHCON to monitor each pilgrim’s movement and facilitate easy identification where the need arises.
However, the items were seized at the airport in Madinah by security officials and all entreaties by Nigerian officials for release fell on deaf ears prompting the suspension of the use of the wristbands by NAHCON.
Story by David Oputah
